About the Firm

Fitzhugh, Elliott & Ammerman P.C. is the continuation of an admiralty litigation practice started by Tom Fitzhugh over two decades ago. The firm represents a broad spectrum of clients including domestic and international insurance companies, ship owners, shipyards, stevedoring companies, and oil drilling and exploration companies and contractors. With special expertise in federal court trials and appeals, our attorneys appear regularly before administrative tribunals of the U.S. Department of Labor, the U. S. Customs Service, the U.S. Coast Guard and state trial and appellate courts.

The practice focuses on insurance and maritime issues. Insurance matters include interpretation of insurance policies and litigation of coverage questions, aviation issues, employers' liability, and general and contractual liability. The maritime issues cover a wide range of topics including personal injuries, the Longshore Act, cargo damage, charter parties, towers liability, vessel collisions, pollution and environmental liabilities, immigration and customs matters. The firm has attracted international clients through our successful representation of shipping interests before the U.S. Customs Service and Immigration and Naturalization Service, having been instrumental in formulating effective anti-drug and anti-stowaway strategies for use by ship owners who trade to the United States.

Tom Fitzhugh, John C. Elliott, and Matthew H. Ammerman are shareholders in the firm.  Nicholas W. Earles, Ryan M. Perdue and James C. Woolsey are associate members.  The attorneys possess a broad range of knowledge and experience in Admiralty, Maritime Law and Insurance related matters. The firm is listed in Best's Directory of Recommended Insurance Attorneys, The Insurance Bar, Hines Insurance Counsel and is " av" rated online at Martindale-Hubbell.

Mr. Fitzhugh is President of the Longshore Institute, Inc., publisher of the standard reference material on the Longshore & Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and its extensions; he is also an Adjunct Professor of Maritime Law at Texas A&M University. Mr. Fitzhugh, a frequent speaker on admiralty topics, serves as Executive Director of the Maritime Security Council, the international shipping organization devoted primarily to commercial vessel security, working closely with U.S. government agencies in the anti-drug and anti-stowaway efforts. Mr. Elliott has extensive experience as an engineer in the energy industry, and possesses a U.S. Coast Guard Tankerman License.  Mr. Ammerman is a graduate of Southwestern University, is assistant editor of The Longshore Newsletter, and specializes in the defense of maritime personal injury claims.  Mr. Earles, Mr. Perdue and James W. Woolsey are the firm's newest attorneys.

Not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  However, no designation has been made by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for a Certificate of Special Competence in the area of Admiralty or Maritime Law.

Short biographies on our attorneys are included in the site, as well as a selected list of our representative clients . Questions are encouraged about our firm, its practice, and its expertise. Please direct inquiries to Mr. Fitzhugh at tcf@longshore.org.